Rocket-propelled Pokemon Tabletop

"Heey, a scumbag with brains! I was getting worried that I'd hafta be the bright one round here. With some cunning like yours on the team I'm likely to make double the hauls from back home!"

She leans over the railing and watches the coast approach for awhile before twisting and returning the grin.

"I think we're gonna get along great!

Cage, plus movement, therefore contents are alive. Several tall(ish) things, or one large(ish) thing. Coiled thing unlikely. If more than one thing, probably some unconscious. If tall, probably seated (would take up more floor space). Cage, not Ball, so... not Catchable? Dangerous, or valuable when unCaught, or... not Pokemon. Cage big enough to fit a few people, but not if they're standing... unless they're children? Unlikely, but... not impossible. Hm.

Lost in thought, Lucian scrawls some illegible notes and moves towards the cabin to just up and ask the captain about it. Intentionally or not, he fails to notice Nada.

He gives the cabin a cursory scan, then watches the captain work a few moments, seeing how the seadog reacts to his presence.
If he's noticed: A cursory nod, coupled with "Sir."
If nothing interrupts, in approximately this order: "How much longer do you think we'll be at sea?" "How long have you been a sailor?" "What's under the tarp?"
Lucian tries to gauge the man's (relative) trustworthiness from his reactions.

Nada:
You grab a fistful of sheet and give it a truly manly tug, but slip on a damp board and land on your ass again. Unwilling to be bested by mere containers, you stand up, take a critical eye to it, and notice the strap and buckle tying the tarp down. A quick tug on that gives much better results, and you lift the sheet with a flourish.

Huddled against the far wall of the cage are a pair of reddish, carapaced Pokemon. They sport large claws, a bunch of short, pointy legs, and the larger is about half a metre long. It froths at the mouth a bit before charging at Nada, banging its claws ineffectually upon the bars. The clanging alerts the captain, who shoves Lucian aside to see what's going on.


Sergio:

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SpoilerPerform whatever actions you wish; I'm rolling them against whatever stat modifier/s seem/s appropriate. I'm merely cultivating my air of mystique mod bastardry by calling dice rolls as I see 'em.
Unrelatedly, the dice really seem to be hating most of you right now.

The kid doesn't seem petrified of you all so much as stubbornly concentrating. At a guess, someone told him not to engage in idle chitchat with his passengers. Nothing in his behaviour reveals anything other than the fact he's got plenty of experience on a boat. He stands from somewhat-needlessly checking the flanking lights on the ship, and shakes his head.

"My first time doing the run with Uncle. He says I'm not to speak with you."

If he was going to follow that up with anything, a clanging from the back of the ship interrupts him.


Minnie:
Pointedly not noticing whatever the fuck Nada's doing, the last of your words are drowned out by something smacking at some bars. Several dozen metres across the ocean's still surface, a couple of bubbles break the moon's reflection thereupon.


Lucian:
The captain doesn't seem to have that much work to do, beyond suffusing the little cabin with cigarette smoke and glancing periodically at the couple of screens on his dashboard.

He turns around just as you're about to greet him. His eyes narrow, you hear the ship's motor cut out as he yanks at a handle, and he marches past you as Nada curiously pokes whatever has been freshly unveiled.

Something upon the dashboard beeps. The still-persisting haze makes determining what made the noise difficult.

Lucian turns to let the captain pass (and also see what that racket is - seems like some wild corphish, probably to be eaten later; with all the deep sea 'mon about, the seafood industry's probably a big source of Aroan revenue, so that's not too surprising), then surreptitiously scoots back into the cabin to avoid getting involved - and try to figure what the noise was.

He's read the manual not unfamiliar with smoke-filled boats (though those were admittedly yachts), and figures he can figure this out. Breathing through his collar, he scans for blinking lights (if there's an audio cue there's almost certainly a visual one to go along with it) - or a sonarscope, come to think; with all the deep sea 'mon about (as alleged by Gerald), Aroan boats (especially fishing boats) would likely have early-warning systems to steer clear of high-danger aqualife. (That said - is the beep persistent? How often does it go off? Pitch? Length? These things are important to take note of.)

He's careful not to touch anything, though. Captains (and important or leaderly people in general) usually get pissed at mere unsupervised loitering in their cabins (offices, w/e); Arc help you if you manage to mess up their workspace.

Sergio follows the kid to the source of the noise (assuming the kid goes, otherwise he just heads back there himself and saddles up a tad too close behind whoever is nearest him. (Nariman?))

OHHH BOOOOOY NEW BEST FRIENDS!

(Or potentially new best friends)

Oblivious to Lucian's fastidious note-taking, Minnie's snappy quips, or even the nefarious blip on the radar, Nada decides it would be a GREAT IDEA to make friends with those rogueish arthropods! Although from what he understood, making friends meant beating the shit out of things. Nada has no idea why but it sure makes a lot of sense!

BUUUUUT WAIT! Only Pokemon can beat other Pokemon! That is what the manual had said! So Nada decided it would be very smart to release the hapless Dirty Harry out of her pokemon capsule so SHE CAN FRIENDSHIP WITH THOSE SHINY RED THINGS.

(But woe, little did he realize the cage surrounding the reddish carpace fellows might pose a bit of problem. He would learn soon.)

Jack wasn't quite sure what to make of this one, he hadn't even been even slightly subtle about his scorn and now she wanted to be friends?
Was she mocking him? Or just... not very bright?

Desire to pick a fight warred with a refusal to turn down compliments in his head. He'd not worked with Team Rocket before but on the scant other occasions he'd decided to play with others he'd figured that an early display of brutality could end up working in his favour... but eventually he stuck out a hand. They weren't the alley thugs he'd grown up with, right? Rocket were meant to at least be slightly more competent.
He'd signed himself up for the long haul and he was probably going to be with this band for a while. If he was going to make any friends it might as well be with the athletic-looking chick rather than the ancient scientist types that had asked so many questions. Why they would bring so many old people with them he couldn't fathom.
Jack's definition of "old" hovered in an ever advancing position of five years ahead of his own current age.

He grinned again.
"I'm Jack, and I do hope so."
Better safe than sorry of course, they were all crooks here. He sent forth the tendrils of knowing as they shook hands, a good bit of the old telepathy.
Why wonder if she'd been insulting him back when he could just skim the surface of her thoughts and know for sure? Well, maybe know for sure. The mind's a funny thing.

Nariman simply watches the events unfolding across the small boat, not bothering to interact with anyone or -thing. As the red things are revealed, he idly scans them, then moves to the side of the boat as the data loads.

He pulls a piece of paper from his bag and tears it into small pieces, then tosses them in the direction of all the bubbles coming up from the water.

Vladenie pointedly ignores the cage shenanigans going on and decides to just stare at the ocean, where hopefully there isn't a whole lotta bullshit going on. Except for somebody throwing paper at it. What's that supposed to accomplish?

Lucian:
The beep repeats, at a higher pitch, then again a couple of seconds later. It's enough to home in on the source - a somewhat-dissected piece of gadgetry that's only slightly unfamiliar to Lucian. A few tell-tale details (namely, the waterproof buttons still attached to some tape-wrapped wires) identify it as a thoroughly hacked Pokeradar. The screen and casing have been stripped, and hooked up to a larger panel that looks more like a heart-rate monitor in a hospital. Scales along the sides give depth and distance.

From the motion of the pulses in the display (and figuring out what it was before someone butchered it), you conclude around half a dozen of the same evolutionary line of Pokemon are swiftly approaching the boat.

Hrm.


Nada:
Your attempts to MAKE ALL THE FRIENDS backfires as someone hauls you up from behind by the scruff of your shirt.

"Which one of you idiots," enquires the captain of the boat, "is in charge of this idiot?"

Dirty Harry is too busy giving the crabmons a critical glare to lend a hand; the captain is apparently dissatisfied with your companions' non-snappy answers and tosses you to the deck of the boat (5HP damage). The bigger caged Pokemon stops its rhythmical beating on the bars to spit some bubbles in her face, but the bars disperse what might've been an attack to the point of harmlessness.


Jack:

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SpoilerI wasn't expecting PvP nonsense so soon, but hey you're Rockets so what the heck.

Jack gleans surface thoughts of Minnie's sucessfully. Did you want to know what those were? Do you undertake in invasive telepathy? Thought not.

Nariman:
Beep boop them be Corphish, both female. The larger is about full size for its species; the smaller about half that.

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SpoilerWe interrupt this update with a notice for the three PokeDex owners (Nariman especially, being a Researcher class like Lucian and thus, backstory-wise, less likely to have acquired character levels through fighting stuff):

Because some players don't own Pokedexes, and trying to advance global knowledge about Pokemon distribution and isn't your average Rocket's aspiration in life anyway, levelling up via Pokemon Seen will be curtailed somewhat to prevent unfair advantages (to what extent, I'm still working on). To square things up a bit until then, Nariman and Jack should choose up to 125 Pokemon they've already recorded in their 'dexes, with an emphasis toward Pokemon of their native region. You can knock 25 'mons off this list at a time if you cite a different scenario where you gained a level (and just for kicks, other folks could list their five experiences in which levels were gained. Optional, but should give me ideas flesh out your characters some).

In Nottles' case (with whom I initially felt out this bit of hamstringing), his Remedial First Aid-gaining level was when he got a chance to (not surprisingly) perform a fair bit of Shoddy Remedial First Aid at which he became more profiient. The remaining four levels' worth of Pokemon Seen were mostly covered by the five generations of starter Pokemon and their evolutions, then a list of ubiquitous 'mons like Rattatas and Caterpies and Bidoofs, and a bunch of familiar natives from his Sinnoh region.

This'd probably all be easier on IRC (especially if you insist on a Dark and Mysterious Past) so remember to bother me about it on there.

Your feeble STR modifier, combined with your unaerodynamic ammo, buffets about half the paper scraps back. Some stick to the sides of the boat, most land in the water by the boat, and a few flutter out in the direction you intended.

It doesn't elicit any response-



But whatever was there had other plans in mind. Another carapaced Pokemon sticks its face out of the water, and shoots a jet of bubbles with enough force to sting and barrage the captain. This distracts most of you enough for something else to firmly smack the other side of the fishing boat. You turn, and a fourth Corphish launches itself onto the deck.

Captain Fischer looks none-too-pleased with this development. He wipes at the cuts trickling blood into his eyes, and retreats to his cabin, not bothering to ask Lucian what the hell he's doing there.

"This is your grunt's doing, you get rid of the Pokemon!"


Vladenie
Meanwhile, you get a much better look of what's happening on the port side of the ship - namely, the nasty crab-looking thing, which nearly takes your ear off as it forcibly boards. Unseen to everyone else, two more tried a similar stunt, with less success. They fell into the water with a splash, but the bubbles are now congregating around the bit of hull which unhinges, presumably to make it easier carting boxes on and off the deck.



Battle Start!

Status

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SpoilerMinnie: 78/78
Sergio: 48/48
Nada: 90/96
Lucian: 60/60
Vladenie: 52/52
Nariman: 52/52
Jack: 84/84

Poppy the Shuppet: 23/23
Dirty Harry the Scraggy: 20/20

Wild Pokemon (does not include Pokemon that either cannot currently target you, or be targeted)
Corphish 1: 20/20

Others:
Sea Captain: Injured
Deckhand: Healthy
Corphish 2: 10/25
Corphish 3: 11/21

Modnotes

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SpoilerHooo boy, first time to fuck up everything, we'll see how this rolls.

Players are listed in order of speed on my above lists, although if you're all amicable commands'll pretty much be issued in the order I get 'em in.

Greyed-out scenery is stuff you can just straight-up walk over. Other things occupy vertical space, which can be traversed at 1 move point per metre. For reference, the crates at the back are about 1m high, the ladder to the roof of the cabin is 2m, the retaining walls on the sides of the boat are a bit over 1m, etc etc etc.

I'm introducing a hithero-unseen mechanic, because otherwise this would've been too easy: A new Terrain type.


Slippery Terrain occurs where there's just enough moisture to slick the floors, without making it deep enough to wade through. Pokemon that Shift more than one square across it before stopping will have a +1 to their next move's AC check. Pokemon who normally use their Sky Capability to move are immune to its effects. Trainers, similarly, will have their AC penalised for attacks after travelling more than a step across it, in addition to forcing checks against your DEX mod for any complicated movements.

Nada equips his crowbar and charges at the Corphish 1 like a Tauros out of Dream World.

"Did he thought this through?" Someone might ask, but then they would follow up with an "oh yeah, right." In retrospect, the decision he made was probably rather bone-headed on his part considering he is charging at an oversized death-lobster without any regard for his own safety. From one (amusingly puerile) to ten (BEYOND INCOMPREHENSIBLE), his actions earn an solid five (dangerously preposterous).

---

Being the strong and independent scraggy she is, Harry will have none of those cagecreature's shit and does the mile-long stare (Leer) at Corphish 2. By mile-long, it means a few inches but hey, let's not argue logistics shall we?

Oh, Nada? Harry is pretty sure he could take care of himself.

Probably.

Sergio stares at the carpaced sea creature that has appeared before him. He slowly licks his lips.

"Allo, creature of the deep, Look at Sergio. Come to Sergio."

He reaches down and lifts the styler hanging loosely from his belt. He points it at the creature in an attempt to "befriend" it.

Regardless of how this goes, he releases Maury to the space on his right, almost as an after thought.

Sergio shouts at the captain who retreated into the bridge: "Oh, captain. Your nephew is strong with muscles and trainings, but does need experience, perhaps you can direct him to aid us."

Maury stands there. Doing nothing, saying nothing. He simply stares.

Lucian thinks of several things to say, mostly regarding his unwanted affiliation with Nada and the competency of 'his' team, but files these away for use after they're done not dying. Or, done probably not dying. Mostly not- A-hem.

Instead, he sighs, gives a cursory "Sir," gestures towards the beeping radar, and hurries out of the cabin, up the ladder, and onto the cabin roof.¹ Lobster can't climb ladders, can they?

Almost as an afterthought, Lucian scans Corphish 1 into his 'Dex. Actually as an afterthought, Lucian releases Hades 1 South of Corphish 1 with an encouraging, "Make yourself useful, you."

He also wonders if he should have offered to patch up the 'Cap, but oh well.

***

¹With Overland 5, Lucian either has enough to get to the top meter of the ladder, or just barely make it to the roof, depending on how things work, exactly.

"You call that an attack? That's an Arc damned soap bubble! What's that supposed to do, get in somebody's eye?! I can blow better bubbles with my ass!"

Minnie attempts to Battle Chatter: Swagger at the starboard lobster. (If it's not a valid target, does it count as my daily use?)

Oh yeah, and she draws her Bowie knife.

"Hmm. This boat is... An inauspicious location for a battle."

Nariman uses his Shift action to send out Copenhagen near the rear of the boat (if that's permissible; if not by his feet since he's small and can co-occupy tiles) and his Trainer action to hurl some throwing knives at the 'phish.

E: I should make it clear that he only attacks if Sergios' befriend attempt fails.

Vladenie has no idea what Sergio is doing with that thing. She's pretty sure the Rangers use those. How did he get one?

He didn't use to be a Ranger, did he?

He isn't still a Ranger, is he?

Deciding the idea is far too uncomfortable to think about, she Borrows Knock Off to use if things go sour, and tells Poppy to use Knock Off herself on Corphish 1, only if Sergio's plan or somebody else's brilliant idea go awry.

With four or five people shouting and gesticulating at the lobstery thing that's clambered its way onto the deck already, Jack decides that they probably don't need any more help (to be honest as it's so many people against one animal that isn't much higher than his knee, he'd be surprised if one of them doesn't just end up whacking another in the face by mistake).

He lets loose his familiar (or did he already? He honestly can't remember if the Gastly's pokeball is currently occupied or not, but better safe than sorry) and glares back out over the rail at the retreating ripples of the guy that had spat at them. There's obviously still more where the one on the deck came from and he's not letting one sneak up behind him on a crazed mission of rescue for the two locked in that cage.

Now Jack's not all that familiar with large bodies of water (he never went to the beach and this is his first time on a boat) and so never got to try working his magic on it, and he also doesn't technically know where the angry crab guy got to after covering the deck with water but he thinks he can sort of vaguely guess where it could be from the bubbles and it didn't look all that heavy.
He rolls his shoulders and then concentrates, fixing the rippling waves with a glare. If everything works as he thinks it should he can probably just psychokinetically haul the little bastard back onto the deck for some payback, else... he might just splash himself and Nariman with 30lb of water or something. Hell knows how this stuff affects the voodoo, man doesn't belong on the ocean.

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SpoilerIt also says "untargettable" in the post, but considering Pokemon can't attack as they are sent out and I'm not sure there'd be room left to hit anyone I've got nothing better to do.

...actually the trainer guide said that Trainer movement is 5 squares + Dex modifier leaving me with a move of... 1? It's lucky it's capped at 5 minimum (or so Cyber tells me) because that's not very far, and heaven forbid we encounter anything harder to traverse than a flat plane.
It's lucky standing on a rocking boat doesn't give us any kind of penalty or the poor boy would be spending every turn falling over.

Sergio attempts to restrain Corphish 1!
Restrain check 35: 1d100-10=85
The Corphish shakes it off, and clacks its claws angrily. It wouldn't have lasted for long anyway because Nada-

Leaps across the deck and smacks it with a crowbar!
*Henceforth, switching weapons (including equipping weapons, going from Bare Hands to Arms) will constitute a Trainer Action. Nada gets a free pass to switch back to Unarms next turn if he wants to, for reasons shortly apparent.*
Unarms feature (Blunt Weapons) AC check 8: 7
The increased AC check from crossing Slippery Terrain takes its toll on Nada, who barely misses the Corphish. It's ok, by my estimation he would've done -10 damage anyway.

Lucian successfully scrambles up the ladder. He gets a more official read on the Corphish's health, which is still pretty pristine despite Nada's best efforts.

Minnie uses Swagger on the submerged dark bit she hopes is a Pokemon.
AC7 (Visibility penalty): 5
The Corphish is not impressed. That is to say, it's failed to be impressed by your cruel cruel words.

Nariman uses Wannabe Ninja Knife Flurry!
AC5: 11
Damge: (1d8+4+5-8)=4
Corphish 1 takes 4 damage!

Vladenie Borrows Knock Off, and orders Poppy to do the same.

Jack sends out Jack, then has a feel around using Psychokinesisfor the offending crustacean. It's a bit of a struggle, but within your capabilities to lift it from the water. It's bigger and meaner looking than the boat's current passengers, but you toss it in the middle of the boat so everyone can have a turn at harassing it.


Go! Pokemon!
Poppy uses Knock Off on Corphish 1!
AC6: 8
Damage: (1d12+8-8)=2
The Corphish shrugs it off, mostly unharmed.

Dirty Harry Leers at Corphish 2.
AC2: 12
Corphish 2 is unnerved, and quits banging on the bars as it backs away from Dirty Harry.

Corphish 4 hiss-gurgles angrily. Its shell flashes briefly, toughening up, before it finds its feet again.

Corphish 1 is not impressed by all this unfriendly attention, and weighs up its options a bit before spitting bubbles in Vladenie's direction.
AC2: 3
Damage (1d6+3+10+1STAB)=17
Those sure were some painful bubbles! Apparently crab spit is mildly acidic. Or something.



Status

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SpoilerMinnie: 78/78
Sergio: 48/48
Nada: 90/96
Lucian: 60/60
Vladenie: 35/52
Nariman: 52/52
Jack: 84/84

Jack the Gastly: 16/16
Poppy the Shuppet: 23/23
Dirty Harry the Scraggy: 20/20
Maury the Mr Mime: 16/16
Copehagen the Pineco: 23/23
Hades the Bledum: 21/21

Wild Pokemon (does not include Pokemon that either cannot currently target you, or be targeted)
Corphish 1: 14/20
Corphish 4: Healthy, DEF +1

Others:
Sea Captain: Injured
Deckhand: Healthy
Corphish 2: Injured, DEF -1
Corphish 3: Injured

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SpoilerI forgot to apply evasion modifiers that round, but for the most part it wouldn't have mattered. This is more a personal note.

Switching, Wielding, and unwielding weapons now counts as a Trainer Action. The alternative is when you Drop a weapon, which can be done as a Free Action. You can't pick said weapon up again until you're standing over the square in question, though.

Pharms: With that -6 WIS modifier affecting Blunt Weapons usage, you'd honestly be better off using you fists. I was almost tempted to have you deal yourself damage, but felt that was a bit cruel. Luckily, I forgot to factor in the terrain so we didn't have that problem.

After some discussion about Pokedex usage in-battle, you now don't get a particular Pokemon's health until it's been scanned. I'ma be a bit lenient for this first battle but should iron out the kinks before too long.

Alright okay this is already going poorly. She tells Poppy to move 2 meters west, and one north and use Screech.

Vladenie herself decides this has already counted as Gone Sour, and immediately blows her one Borrowed move for the day by using Knock Off on the attacking Corphish before running 5 east

"Hades, on your left!" (To the east.) "Iron Head, from above!" (Move above Corphish 4 (Up 2, East 2, Down 1), use Iron Head downwards. If it connects, Corphish'll presumably take more damage due to being crushed against the deck.)

Lucian scoots one North and scans the rest of the boh for the love of, "Nada! The hell are you doing? That's not a club, that's-"

A thought strikes. "If you're going to use that, use it to shuck the lobster! Or, ah... pry off its shell!" The researcher makes wrenching motions with his hands in an attempt to get the message across.

Jack uncreases his brow and the grin returns to his face. Nothing to it really, takes more than a bit of water to slow him down.
Now then.

Taking his bag off his shoulder, he uncoils a slightly rusty length of chain[ and begins wrapping one end around his hand, there isn't really anywhere else to grip it. While he's winding he fumbles around in his head for the bit where Gastly normally is and starts to relay commands telepathically. There's not really any particular need for secrecy, it just looks a lot cooler if his Pokemon does what he tells it without him apparently having to do anything.
And besides, by this point it's become almost automatic.

Probably a good idea to put you somewhere out of the way, hmm? That rooftop is basically ideal. Get a good vantage point.
And then once you're nice and settled in put the big guy to sleep for me. He looks just a little upset that I tossed him around like that, wouldn't want him getting ideas.

Jack himself (or at least the human one) with chain now securely in hand, strolls slowly North across the deck until he's almost close enough to touch the Corphish he fished up.
He tries to make his sedate pace seem casual, rather than because he's worried he's going to lose his balance on the deck.
In what crazy world does the floor move around so much? It's just not right.

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SpoilerOr, for clarity's sake even though it was probably pretty obvious;

Jack Gastly
Move 3 Metres East, 2 North (and presumably some upwards)
Hypnosis on Corphish 4
Jack Laveau
Equip Chain
Move 2 Metres North)

But Lucian Sir, there is no crowbar (switch back to unarmed)! But don't worry, Nada kind of gets the Good Researcher's command and attempts to use his HANDS to pry the shell off of Corphish 1. This may or may not be a good idea, but the conclusion is sure to be pretty unpleasant.

---

Harry does not like Corphish 4's face.

Harry, meet Corphish 4. Corphish 4, meet Harry's foot (Low Kick).

Harry is wondering if Nada is doing alright. I mean, she did got assigned to him or whatever or something like that buuuuutttt she trying to open a can of pokemon-style whoopass on the overgrown lobster right now. So she is pretty sure he is okay.

Probably.

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Spoilerwait so, I rolled a 95/100? Yikes okay, that corphish wants nothing to do with Sergio.

Sergio glares at the corphish that spurned his advances. He will know it would have been better to have gone with Sergio.

Maury notices Sergio's glare at the Corphish and uses Confusion on it.

Sergio turns his attention to the deck hand.

"It is your first time yes? Show your manhood to Sergio! Or will you do nothing?"

"All right! We're having lobster for breakfast!"

Minnie eagerly closes the distance to Corp4 and gives it a proper knifing. (Let's say 1 North, 2 East so we all don't bonk into each other.)

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SpoilerSo, I get STAB on my knives right?

"Copenhagen, create a barrier of Stealth Rocks to harass these corphish and any others that attempt to board, then stay back."

(From Copenhagen, place them in the tiles 1 east, 1 north and 2 east, 2 north and 2 east, 3 north and 2 east, and 3 north and 3 east)

Nariman himself hucks some more dang throwin' stuff at the same Corphish (or the other one if it's ko'd before his turn comes around).